Smoothing Functional Data with a Bayesian Hierarchical Model and Robust Fitting of a Weibull Model with Optional Censoring

dc.contributor.advisorCox, Dennis D.en_US
dc.contributor.committeeMemberScott, David W.en_US
dc.contributor.committeeMemberTapia, Richard A.en_US
dc.creatorYang, Jingjingen_US
dc.date.accessioned2014-10-17T20:45:06Zen_US
dc.date.available2015-05-01T05:01:02Zen_US
dc.date.created2014-05en_US
dc.date.issued2014-04-16en_US
dc.date.submittedMay 2014en_US
dc.date.updated2014-10-17T20:45:07Zen_US
dc.description.abstractIn this dissertation, I investigated two independent problems: smoothing functional data with a hierarchical Bayesian model, and robust fitting of a Weibull model for lifetime data with optional right-hand censoring. In the first project, a Bayesian hierarchical model is developed for smoothing functional data. Functional data, with basic data unit being function evaluations (e.g. curves or surfaces) over a continuum, have been frequently encountered in nowadays. While many functional data analysis tools are now available, the issue of simultaneous smoothing is less emphasized. Some methods treat functional data as fully observed while ignoring the measurement noise, others perform smoothing to each functional observation independently thus fail to borrow strength across replications from the same stochastic process. In the first part of this dissertation, a Bayesian hierarchical model is proposed to smooth all functional observations simultaneously. The proposed method relies on priors with data-driven hierarchical parameters, which automatically determine the amount of smoothness. It also provides simultaneous estimates for the mean function and covariance. Case studies of simulated and real data demonstrate that this Bayesian method produces more accurate signal estimates and smooth covariance estimate. In the second project, I explored robust method and estimator for Weibull model. The Weibull family is widely used to model failure data, or lifetime data, although the classical two-parameter Weibull distribution is limited with positive data and monotone failure rate. The parameters of the Weibull model are commonly obtained by maximum likelihood estimation; however, it is well-known that this estimator is not robust when dealing with contaminated data. A new robust way is introduced to fit a Weibull model by using L2 distance, i.e. integrated square distance, of the Weibull probability density function. The Weibull model is augmented with a weight parameter to robustly deal with contaminated data. Results comparing a maximum likelihood estimator with an L2 estimator are given in this article, based on both simulated and real data sets. It is shown that this new L2 parametric estimation method is more robust and does a better job than maximum likelihood in the newly proposed Weibull model when data are contaminated. The same preference for L2 distance criterion and the new Weibull model also happens for right censored data with contamination.en_US
dc.embargo.terms2015-05-01en_US
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen_US
dc.identifier.citationYang, Jingjing. "Smoothing Functional Data with a Bayesian Hierarchical Model and Robust Fitting of a Weibull Model with Optional Censoring." (2014) Diss., Rice University. <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/1911/77606">https://hdl.handle.net/1911/77606</a>.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1911/77606en_US
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.rightsCopyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.en_US
dc.subjectSmoothingen_US
dc.subjectFunctional dataen_US
dc.subjectBayesian hierarchical modelen_US
dc.subjectRobusten_US
dc.subjectWeibull modelen_US
dc.titleSmoothing Functional Data with a Bayesian Hierarchical Model and Robust Fitting of a Weibull Model with Optional Censoringen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
dc.type.materialTexten_US
thesis.degree.departmentStatisticsen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineEngineeringen_US
thesis.degree.grantorRice Universityen_US
thesis.degree.levelDoctoralen_US
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophyen_US
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